Bleeding Out
by fawkester
Summary: The last thing Dean remembers is a tear-traced kiss on his cheek and a whisper in his ear, "If I hadn't fallen I could have saved you." (lead off of season 8 canon - spoilers through there)


It was just a werewolf. An easy hunt. Something they had done a million times before. Well, Sam and Dean had. This was Dean and Cas, but it couldn't be that different.

Dean's starting to realize why they say the devil's in the details.

He's looking at Cas when it happens. Admiring the way the moonlight highlights the other man's dark hair instead of watching the shadows in front of him.

The thing is fast, faster than any werewolf Dean's seen. Only a grayish blur, swiping out and disappearing. It takes a second before Dean registers the feeling in his abdomen as pain and falls to the ground.

Cas isn't sure what's going on. One minute they were staring at an empty alley, the next Dean was crying out and on the ground, hands pressed tight to his side. There is blood. So much blood.

It stains his thoughts red as he rushes to Dean's side.

"Dean!" Everything is fuzzy around the edges. Dean is vaguely aware of two strong hands replacing his own and keeping his insides from spilling out onto the asphalt. He's much more aware of startlingly blue eyes staring at him. Cas's lips are moving but Dean can't understand the words.

"Sorry Cas." He reaches up to cup Cas's cheek, and his fingers travel, tracing his features one last time, "I think I'm leaving."

"No no no." The gravelly voice cuts through the encroaching veil of darkness, "You're supposed to help me. You need to stay and help me." His voice cracks and Dean can feel the tears hitting his cheeks, "This is my fault. I should've paid more attention." Dean's hand drops, "Dean. Dean!" He wants to touch his face but both hands are needed, "All my fault." He says quietly.

Dean tries to protest but finds he can't open his mouth. His blurred view is getting smaller by the second and Cas's voice is slowly fading away. Behind that, a siren is wailing. A civilian must have seen and called 911.

The last thing Dean remembers is a tear-traced kiss on his cheek and a whisper in his ear, "If I hadn't fallen I could have saved you."

Dean grabs Cas's wrist as tight as he can, letting the darkness win. As he fades into unconsciousness he tries to channel his thoughts to the crying man beside him.

_Not your fault, angel. Never your fault._

When Dean wakes up his first though is that he's dead. Then he feels the throbbing in his side and the hand holding his, hears steady beeping, and realizes he must be in a hospital. Which means he's alive.

And, he props himself up on his elbows as well as he can and turns his head to the side, "Cas?" He winces when his voice comes out as a low croak.

The grip around his hand tightens and suddenly a pair of tired yet intense eyes are searching his, raking across his face, making sure he's real. When he's finished he falls back into the chair, leaving their fingers intertwined, staring at Dean like he might drop dead at any second. Which, who knows, could actually be a possibility.

"Hello Dean." Cas is doing that thing again, the thing where he smiles with his eyes and not his mouth because he's trying to be serious. "How are you feeling?"

Dean snorts, "Like horse shit that's been run over by three semis." His smile dims, "How long was I out?"

Cas's expression darkens, "Almost a week. The doctors said you might not make it. You lost a lot of blood." _But I did make it. And I'm 99% sure that had something to do with you. _"They think it was an animal attack."

"And it actually was?"

"A very advanced werewolf." He runs his thumb along the edge of Dean's hand, "Sam and I took care of it."

Dean grumbles something incomprehensible and Cas knows he's drifting back under the influence of the meds. He thinks Dean has fallen back asleep when he speaks, "How the hell are you even in here?"

"The doctors may believe I am your husband."

There's a soft laugh, "Maybe we should actually think about that."

Cas doesn't respond to that, fairly certain it's a drug-induced thought.

But he leans down when Dean tugs on his arm, smiles at the other man's whispered "seriously", and accepts the clumsy kiss pressed to his lips. Dean grins, satisfied, and collapses against the pillow, asleep.

Cas leans back in his chair and continues to hold Dean's hand, smiling when he begins to snore.


End file.
